What do spinal implants mean for the mobility of the spine?
The human spine has many functions. It maintains the body erect, provides stability, provides muscles, tendons and other tissues points of attachment and passage openings, it can effectively distribute loads and is flexible and mobile. The downside of this complexity and flexibility is that a structure with so many capabilities is unfortunately also prone to many different diseases. Spinal surgery and therefore also spinal implants are now considered standard in orthopedic surgery. If all conservative treatment options have been tried to resolve back diseases and signs of wear and if they have remained ineffective or there is a threat of irreparable damage due to a disease, for example to the spinal cord, surgical intervention is inevitable. Spinal surgery with spinal implants covers a large and complex spectrum of diseases. This includes the treatment of fractures, deformities, inflammation and tumors as well as that of degenerative diseases. Depending on the pathology, the interventions are performed dorsally (from the back), laterally (from the side) or ventrally (from the abdomen).
The human spine consists of 24 vertebral bodies, which are divided into different sections: The top seven vertebrae located near the skull form the cervical spine, followed by 12 thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae and the sacrum and coccyx. Each vertebra consists of a vertebral body and vertebral arch with a spinous process and transverse processes as well as a central recess. The recesses of all vertebrae on top of each other together form the spinal canal. The spinal cord runs along it. The spinal nerves emerge between the vertebrae. If this spinal canal narrows, for example in spinal canal stenosis, the vertebrae shift against each other and vertebral slippage occurs (spondylolisthesis). If, for example, the gelatinous fluid leaks out of a disc in a herniated disc, pressure is exerted on the nerves affected or on the spinal cord. Both of these can cause numbness, severe pain, or in some cases even limb paralysis. Other pathologies of the spine such as Bechterew’s disease (a rheumatic disease of the back) or Scheuermann’s disease (a particularly severe, chronic curvature of the back) can cause great pain even without direct pressure on the nerves affected. In scoliosis, the spine may even be so bent in its axes that vital organ functions are impaired. In the following ackermannsurgical.com would like tell you more about spinal implants and how they are used.
Spinal implants: Diagnosis and treatment methods.
A detailed diagnosis is made prior to the use of spinal implants. In addition to a thorough review of the current findings, a careful physical examination and a detailed personal consultation by the doctor conducting the treatment, the various imaging procedures in back medicine are of particular importance. Patients can be examined individually and with different focus points using classic x-rays, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) right up to the innovative EOS full-body imaging scan. Depending on the pathology, contrast media are also used, for example to make the structure of the spinal canal visible in a certain section of the spine.
If it is inevitable that the complaints require surgical treatment, the surgeon has many treatment methods available. These range from microsurgical and endoscopic, so-called minimally invasive interventions, which are used, among other things, for removing herniated discs, to moderately large interventions such as the insertion of vertebral body prostheses to the attachment of spinal implants in order to stiffen or stabilize several vertebral bodies. Long stiffeners with rod-screw systems are often used for complex deformities, tumors and inflammations, for example when several vertebral bodies are affected. Dynamic stabilization is even possible with the help of magnetically extendable rods.
Use of cervical spine implants.
An artificial intervertebral disc replacement (for example a cervical spine implant) enables the spinal column to remain mobile and relieves the patient of pain. Spinal implants from a spinal implants manufacturer are divided into lumbar and cervical spinal implants depending on where they are used. A disc replacement in the cervical spine area is subject to different requirements than a disc replacement in the lumbar spine area. Intervertebral disc cervical spine implant for the cervical spine area are smaller and adapted to the special shape and functionality of the cervical vertebrae. Lumbar disc prostheses are larger and stronger than the cervical ones because they are subjected to greater pressure in the lumbar region. The use of a cervical spine implant or a lumbar spine implant is no longer uncommon, but can only be carried out in certain cases. It is usually performed when the natural intervertebral disc is severely damaged by diseases of the spine and pain and impairment in everyday life occur due to the lowering of the vertebral bodies. Or when disc-related back pain and spinal diseases persist despite all conservative therapeutic measures such as physiotherapy and medical pain treatment and possibly even intensify and are associated with symptoms of paralysis and restricted mobility. If you have any further questions about spinal implants, do not hesitate to contact us.
As a manufacturer of medical technology products, we have the appropriate products as well as the necessary know-how: https://www.ackermannmedical.com/
Sources:
Spine – Basics of anatomy – lecturio.de (Access: 27.01.2021)
Spinal instability – flexikon.doccheck.com (Access: 27.01.2021)
Disc prolapse – amboss.com (Access: 27.01.2021)
Intervertebral disc surgery and spinal stenosis surgery on the cervical spine - the operation - operieren.de (Access: 27.01.2021)
